Preveza

The town of Preveza has a lot to offer its visitors, from tourist attractions, archaeological sites and castles to beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters along the entire length of the Prefecture’s coastline.

The historical centre of the town is rich in beauty, with its well-preserved, old houses, narrow and picturesque streets, the town’s commercial centre, countless mezethopolia(1) , ouzeri(2) and fish tavernas, and its paved waterfront at the Preveza harbour, where numerous yachts moor every summer.

First, while in town, we come across Kyani Akti beach, which is a stone’s throw away by car and only a 5-10 minute walk from our hotel. Kyani Akti is a sandy beach with shallow waters, and is organized with a parking lot, changing booths, showers and a canteen. Behind it lies a small parkland with tall trees that offer bathers some shade.

Continuing on our tour, we will come across Alonaki beach. It is approximately 4km from the town centre. It can easily be accessed, mainly by car, or on foot, after a 25-minute walk. It is an organized beach with amenities, a parking lot, changing booths and showers.

Monolithi, Preveza’s most famous beach with the clear blue waters of the Ionian Sea, is definitely worth visiting. There, the horizon and sea become one, and the beach stretches out further than the eye can see. It is approximately 17km from the centre of Preveza and can be reached by car or bus. Behind the beach lies the aesthetic forest of the same name. The setting is simply indescribable, with its deep waters and sense of the ocean.

Other beaches you will find along the coastline after Monolithi include the beaches of Kanali, Kastrosykia, Lygia, Vrachos and Loutsa, and they all stand out because of their natural beauty and clear blue waters.

Excursions and short trips

Preveza’s strategic position allows for various excursions and trips to the surrounding areas. After you have toured the town’s historical centre and walked its picturesque, paved narrow streets, you must go on a day trip to the town of Parga, which is less than an hour away by car and can also be reached by shuttle bus.

The cosmopolitan town of Parga, which resembles an island due to its architecture and quaint beaches, is a magnificent destination that will give you a different and amazing feeling. This town, too, is surrounded by castles, as well as exotic beaches with crystal blue waters.

Another popular beach is Valtos beach in Parga, a cove that can certainly cover a visitor’s most demanding needs. It is an organized beach with a view of the cove forming at Valtos beach and the castle in the back.

Another absolute must destination is the island of Lefkada, which is only 20-25 minutes away from Preveza by car or by shuttle bus, which takes you from Preveza to the centre of Lefkada’s town.

Preveza’s archaeological destinations

The ancient city of victory, Nicopolis, is one of the primary destinations for every visitor to Preveza. Ancient Nicopolis was a city of Epirus, which was founded by the Romans in southwest Epirus, near the modern-day town of Preveza. Its archaeological site is currently the largest ancient city of Greece. Ancient Nicopolis is located exactly next to the community of Nicopolis, in the narrowest part of the isthmus of the Preveza peninsula, and is adequately protected under an archaeological law against development. It is open to the public and lies approximately 10km from the centre of Preveza.

Another archaeological site that you can visit is the ancient city of Cassope, which lies on the hills of the modern-day village of Kamarina in the municipality of Zalongo in Preveza. The site’s dominant feature is the Prytaneum or Arcade, a 30x30m structure which is a double-storey on its three sides and single-storey on its fourth side so that is does not block the sun.

Our tour will not be complete without a visit to the well-known Zalongo. Zalongo is one of Greece’s historical mountains. It lies to the north of Preveza and belongs to the Cassope mountain range of Epirus. Its name was associated with the pre-revolutionary period of 1821, and particularly with the legendary Dance of Zalongo.

Another must destination is the Necromanteion (oracle of death) of Acheron, which lies near Kanalaki, in the village of Mesopotamos, approximately 44km north of Preveza.

In antiquity, people believed that this was where the Gates to the Underworld were, leading to the Kingdom of Hades (or Pluto), the son of Rhea and Cronus, the brother of Zeus, Hera and Poseidon, and the husband of Persephone.

The town’s castles

The castle inside the city is that of Agios Andreas (St. Andrew).

The castle is in the northern part of Preveza and was initially built by the Turks. From there, Ali Pasha controlled the town’s harbour. The castle was surrounded by the rampart, which was built by him in the early 19th century, and is an oblong, four-sided fortress with four corner bastions and a smaller bastion in the middle of the western side.

Next is the Castle of Pefkakia. The coastal rampart of Pefkakia was situated between the promontories of Skafidaki and Aktion, and must have been built as an extension of the bulwark during the same period (early 19th century). Together with the Castle of Agios Andreas, it stands in the second line of Turkish defence works and once controlled the town’s harbour.

The other side of Preveza was protected by the Castle of Bucca, which is located at the present-day Paliosaraga site. It began being built by the Turks in the late 15th century. It controlled the harbour of Preveza, as well as the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf, and served as the town’s military command and garrison.

Ambracian Gulf

The town of Preveza is washed by the waters of the Ambracian Gulf and Ionian Sea. The Ambracian Gulf is home to one of the 11 most famous and remarkable wetlands in Greece, and one of the most interesting in Europe. It is protected under the Ramsar Convention.

In closing

The town of Preveza is wet by the Ionian Sea and has a rich coastline stretching out alongside the town. The beaches are beautiful, whether sandy or with fine pebbles, and easily accessible, and most of them are organized.

A tour of Preveza Prefecture can be an unforgettable experience for any visitor. It can meet the needs of even the most demanding visitors. The history of the Prefecture and its archaeological sites, its beauty and amazing blue beaches, and its quaint towns all create a magical portrait that will remain carved in the memory of any guest.